Lost Friend and Unknown Soul Reaper
by Emerald Tsukino
Summary: Emerald is the fifth seat of the fourth division. Before she vanished and became a soul reaper she was good friends with Renji and Rukia. What happens when she runs into Renji once again? Will the sparks fly again?
1. Chapter 1

Summery- Emerald is the fifth seat of the fourth division. Before she vanished and became a soul reaper she was good friends with Renji and Rukia. What happens when she runs into Renji once again? Will the sparks fly again?

**Author Note- I do not own Bleach :-( oh well or anything and everything associated with bleach.**

Underlined is a zanpakuto speaking

**Main story line starts when Rukia is in the real world, during the first arc of the anime. This is before there is any inkling that something has gone awry with Rukia's mission.**

**Main Character- Emerald **

**Hair- Mid-back length blond, usually up in a high ponytail**

**Eyes- Emerald green**

**Has a single diagonal scar over her heart**

**Division- 4****th**

**Seat- 5****th**

**Grew up in the 78****th**** district of the Rukongai**

**Good friends with Renji and Rukia until she vanishes one day**

**One class ahead of Renji and Rukia  
**

**Excels in healing kido**

**Excels in some combat kido**

**Her flash-step leaves many things to be desired but she is proficient, especially in short distances.**

**Thinks she isn't good at swordmanship**

**Zanpakuto-Harkura**

**Sealed form- Long (almost a meter about 90cm) and extremely thin katana. The width of her blade is only a centimeter. The hilt is sky blue and grey with a deep emerald green ribbon hanging from the end. She rarely fights with her sealed zanpakuto. When she does she puts on a fingerless hardened leather glove on her left hand so that she can place her hand on the back of her blade to give it a more forceful block or strike.**

** Shikai- transforms into naginata (release command Breathe, Harkura ). **

** Bankai- not yet achieved **

**Emerald's inner world- Mountains with sheer cliffs wind is constantly around**

**Chapter One**

I sat in my small office finishing the last of my paperwork. It was really boring but the sooner I finished it the sooner I would be free the rest of the day baring any incidents, usually revolving around squad 11. I was the leader of the fifth relief team and I would have had my paperwork done hours ago if it weren't for the fact that I had decided to have a team training secession in healing and combat. At least I knew my team was ready for anything no matter how much they did or didn't grumble. I finished the last piece and brought it to Captain Unohana. She nodded and she sent me on my way.

"Oh one last thing," Captain Unohana said as I was about to leave her office. "Would you run this over to the 6th division."

My heart jumped to my throat. That raised my chance of running into Renji, I mean Lieutenant Abarai. I did not have any clue what to say to him. I had just left Renji and Rukia in the Rukongai without a second thought for many years. After all they had done for me it made me sick to my stomach.

"Emerald?" Captain Unohana asked gently, placing the folder in my hands.

"Yes, Captain!" I bowed then quickly left.

I walked over to the sixth division and walked right into a person and fell over. At least I was couching the paperwork and it was not scattered all over the floor.

"I'm sorry!" I exclaimed.

"It is quite alright," came Renji's voice.

I paled ten shades as he helped me up, "thank…. You… Lieutenant… Abarai…"

"I haven't seen you around before," he remarked.

"I am not from the sixth. I am from the fourth and Captain Unohana asked me to run this paperwork over," I studied the floor intently.

"What is your seat and name? I thought I had seen them all."

"Fifth seat… Emerald," I muttered.

"I am sorry, could you repeat that," underlying shock was in his voice.

"Yes, Lieutenant Abarai," I looked him in the eye. "I am fifth seat, Emerald."

"Where did you go?" Lieutenant Abarai asked.

"I heard a voice," I replied. "I tried to tell you and Rukia but I never got the chance! I'm so sorry! Harkura called my name."

Lieutenant Abarai didn't reply as I placed the folder in his hands.

"Captain Unohana didn't say who that was to go to," I turned to leave.

"Where have you been?" He asked.

I ran as fast as I could from the question he asked.

* * *

I ran as fast as I could from the sixth division and ran out of the Seireitei and into the woods on the edge of the Rukongai. I knew that was incredibly stupid; I was open to attack from unhappy residents. I felt guilty and I knew I was weak in the eyes of many soul reapers for my sudden outbursts of emotion, even though they were very rare. I couldn't help but think of the day I had left the Rukongai.

**Flash Back**

_It had been raining for hours and it was now past midnight. I had been running again, trying to escape the voice inside of my head. My hair was soaked as well as my yukata. All of the sudden I ran into someone. I looked up into her kind face._

_ "Why are you running?" she asked._

_ "Who are you?" I returned._

_ "I am a soul reaper," she replied._

_ "I know that," I whispered._

_ "You can be too. I feel your strong spiritual pressure. You hear a voice calling you don't you?"_

_ "…yes…"_

_ "You should go to the academy to learn how to be one and talk with the voice of your zanpakuto."_

_ I nodded, "Who are you?"_

_ It was too late she was gone._

**End of Flash Back**

I sat leaning against a tree in a clearing. Tears ran down my cheeks. I felt guilty at how I had readily left my friends in my moments of insanity. I left on whim because I was crumbling with the start of insanity.

You did the right thing master came the soft soothing voice of Harkura.

"Abandoning my friends?" I replied.

At the time it wasn't but you knew they were a year behind you in the academy and you did nothing.

"I wasn't ready!"

Master… Some things you will never be ready for.

"Are you insinuating that I am weak?"

No, There are some things that you will never be willing to face and you will always run from it. You have no courage.

"Harkura, I just chose to bury it for a while."

Well, I want to work again so can you find someone to spar?

"I DON'T WANT TO RIGHT NOW HARKURA!"

You are so distracted that you didn't notice anyone coming.

I jumped up drawing Harkura.

"Why did you run?" Lieutenant Abarai entered the clearing.

I bowed ashamed, "because I am ashamed Lieutenant Abarai. I was never deserving of friends such as you and Rukia."

"What happened?" he asked.

"I ran into a soul reaper who suggested that I go to the academy so I could learn how to speak with the voice I heard and become a soul reaper, Lieutenant Abarai."

"You seem stiff. You can put your zanpakuto away."

Then we heard the roar of a hollow. Without thinking I ran off toward it but by the time I got there Renji had somehow gotten ahead of me and was now fighting it.

"Breathe, Harkura" I uttered.

I raised Harkura over my head and sent a hurricane force gust at the hollow. It did not even affect Renji at all. The blow just irritated the hollow and it roared louder.

"Sorry, Harkura," I said sealing her again and sheathing her.

"Just let me handle it, Emerald!" Renji exclaimed, vanquishing the hollow.

"Sorry, swordmanship is not my strong suit." I barely said audibly, tears threatening to spill.

"You never cried before," he said.

"I did… a lot when no one was looking. My pain is meant for me alone to bear," I hastily whipped my tears from my face. "Did you get hurt?"

"No," Renji replied.

"Good… at least I did nothing to facilitate the opposite," I turned to leave.

"You are not leaving yet. You have some explaining to do."

"I have no more to say, Lieutenant Abarai," I started to turn to leave.

He grabbed my wrist, "Why?"

"I cannot say. There is simply nothing more to say, Lieutenant Abarai."

"Cut the Lieutenant Abarai crap."

"But… you are the Lieutenant of the sixth division and I am just the fifth seat of the fourth."

"Call me Renji and that is an order."

"Where is Rukia?"

"On a mission in the world of the living but, we cannot find her right now."

My eyes widened in shock as a hell butterfly appeared.

_"Lieutenant Abarai, you are to report back to the sixth division to receive orders for you next mission." _

"Sorry," he said, flash stepping away.

I was left alone with utter desolation growing in my heart but, that is what I deserved for abandonment of friends…

I stayed in that clearing and drew Harkura. I only did that to make her happy because she begged me a lot.

"Breathe, Harkura…" I whispered.

Louder…

"Since when have you had a problem with that?"

What if I don't here you? Master _Emerald, _mymaster withNO last name

"Shut-it about that! I don't even have a birthday are you going to rub that it too?"

If it gives you a reason to try harder, than yes.

"Breathe, Harkura!" I shouted

The wind swirled around me violently, my robes billowing out around me. I felt the firmness of Harkura's shikai in my hands, taking comfort in her form. The wind soothed me.

Say _Uindo_ while swinging the naginata

"_Uindo!"_

_ Why didn't you tell me about the attack, Harkura?_

You weren't ready

"Whatever…"

Have you ever thought about achieving bankai?

"Bankai? You are kidding me right?"

No, and in less than a hundred years too.

"What if I don't want a bankai?"

You are afraid of power!

"For good reason too…"

**Flash Back**

_I had been a human then. I was just a little girl (four) to be sacrificed to the "demon" of the mountain, but I had escaped and the "demon" no longer wanted me. That spring the crops did not grow and the rain did not come. The village leader decided that I was to be stoned to death, because it was in his power to make that choice, but then his own daughter decided to take my place. The dreadful day came and his daughter stood tall ready to take my fate._

_ "No!" I screamed, dashing to take the first stone._

_ "Get out of here insolent wench!" screamed the village head._

_ "I will not let others die for my actions!" I cut her wrist bindings. "Go."_

_ She obeyed me, only afraid of my fury._

_ "I am not afraid of death now… For now I know that death is only a new beginning."_

_ An angry villager came up to me and thrust a dagger into my heart. I did not cry out. I did not quiver. I didn't even scream. I brought my hand to my chest and just stared into those blood-red eyes and expressionless face. I made a quick glance at my blood-covered hand._

_ "I… d..died t-t-to pro-pro-ttect." Then I fell dead._

**End of Flash Back**

"Look, Harkura. You have seen my memories. I fear that power for one reason and one reason alone. Power allowed a man to willingly throw the first stone and harm his family."

Harkura didn't reply and I decided I had had enough for the day. I walked back to fourth division and looked for some work. Luckily the eleventh provided some.

**Author Note- So what did you think? **


	2. Chapter 2

**Please Read and review! Thanks!**

After bandaging a few very ungrateful eleventh members I returned to my quarters, eager to catch some sleep, but there was a patrol attacked out in the Rukongai so my team was called out to deal with the causalities in the field. My seconded in command in my relief team, Tenth seat Hitomi Yukimura, walked up beside me. She appeared to be a human seven-year old with raven black hair.

"Team leader, you look dead on your feet," She commented.

I sighed, "Tell me about it."

"We can…" she started.

"I do not doubt my team but if anything were to happen to my team and I was sleeping because I was tired I would kill myself Hitomi," I hissed.

"I understand," Hitomi bowed her head.

"How long ago did they head out?" I asked.

"Twenty minutes ago," Hitomi replied.

I crouched down, "Piggy-back now, I am going to flash-step to get there."

"But you don't know where they are!" she protested, climbing onto my back.

"You do and you will guide me there," I stood. "Hang on tight!"

I took off towards the Rukongai. Hitomi held on tight and when we arrived everything appeared to be normal. Hitomi jumped down and immediately ran to one of the downed men not being tended. My third-in-command, Daichi Himura, ran to me to give me a report. Daichi appeared to be in his late teens and stood a good foot over me. He had a sloppy mop of brown hair and hazel eyes that rang with truth.

"All members were injured! No sign of what originally attacked madame!" he shouted.

"Daichi, no need to yell, who is the worst off?" I asked.

"Him," He pointed at a man with three of my underlings around him.

"Thank you, have you contacted their division?" I asked.

"Yes, the thirteenth…" he stopped midsentence and fell to his knees.

Hollow stood in his place in front of me.

"You are the one I seek!" he hissed.

"Clear Out Now!" I ordered, drawing my zanpakuto.

Within seconded the field was cleared of healers and injured. The hollow was huge with a horrid vomit color body with a mask that looked like a bull skull.

"Breathe Harkura!" I shouted.

The hollow started forming a cero. I took a deep breath and used my attack to distract the hollow but I had no such luck. I barely flash-stepped out of the way in time to avoid the cero.

"Unido!" I shouted.

It forced the hollow back a mere inch. The hollow took it's clawed hand and lashed out at me. The claws gashed my forehead, causing blood to trickle done into my left eye.

"Weak!" the hollow growled.

It charged at me and I blocked his horn with my naginata's blade.

"Unido!"

The hollow rushed at me, as if the wind I had released had no effect on him, and I for some reason was unable to move. There was something there that I needed, longed for. A kama that had been the blade that protected me… now against…

"Pa…" I was impaled by one of the hollows large horns.

"Windy for my taste, long time no see Tsuki-," the hollow began to dissolve in front of me.

I fell to my knees clutching my abdominal wound. A hand rested on my right shoulder and I looked up into the kind gaze of Captain Ukitake.

"I sent the t-team b-b-ack to the S-seir-rei-tei," I sputtered.

"Captain!" came the two shouts of who I assumed were his third-seats.

Everything went black.

* * *

"Emerald, Emerald, Emerald, Emerald, Emerald, Emerald, Emerald, Emerald," I heard Hitomi's voice.

I wanted to open my eyes but I couldn't, it took too much effort. I groaned with the terrible strain the eye-opening effort was taking. My throat was parched, as if only the cool and dry mountain air had been entering my lungs.

"Wa-ter," I croaked.

I felt two sets of supporting arms slip underneath my back and tip me to a sitting position. The pain that shot through my abdomen caused me to open my eyes wide, I felt a painful gasp in my throat.

Hitomi's face same into view as she placed a plethora of pillows behind my back.

The other soul reaper placed a cup at my lips and tilted so I could drink. I did not recognize her.

"Easy fif…" she started

"Emerald," I mumbled.

"Easy, Emerald, you only came out of surgery three-hours ago."

I nodded, my eye-lids feeling heavy with exhaustion, "I- kinda- sleepy."

Gentle arms lowered me onto a single pillow as sleep took hold once again.

* * *

I found myself sitting cross-legged in my mountainous inner world. Infront of me was an eagle preening her feathers in a neat and orderly fashion. She gazed into my eyes with an extreme amount of pressuring intent.

"Master, I just want to say this. The only way to defeat a person with power is to become powerful yourself. A person may be powerful they just have to learn when and how to use it without abusing it," Harkura said.

"If this is about bankai…" I started

"This isn't about bankai, Emerald. This is about a bad feeling I have. I think something is very wrong right now and I desperately wished you had bankai now. I have a feeling you are going to need it soon." Harkura flapped her wings.

"Wrong?" I asked shocked at Harkura's words.

"I have a feeling someone in a position of power is going to betray us all… all of the souls. I don't know why but I just have that feeling. Don't be foolish and try to figure who it is. I need you to fear power less, master. Please for the sake of the soul society you must try! I deeply implore you!"

"I am sorry, Harkura, but I am not yet strong enough to control your powerful winds."

"You remind me of a stubborn rose that seems to never bloom! An ugly green bulge on a green thorny stick! I need you to believe in yourself master! You fear power so much you could never abuse it."

"If I become corrupt…"

"You wouldn't. I would kill you first."

"Thank you, Harkura."

"I will take my leave but, remember this, the only way to defeat a person with power is to become powerful yourself and I don't mean politics… I mean natural ability. Fulfill your potential," Harkura flew to the skies to leave me to ponder on my own, the meaning of what she had said.

"Thank you…"


End file.
